rusting tools, metal building

Howdy, I have an interesting dilemma but first a little background. For seven years I had my woodshop in our one-car attached garage. It wasn't heated or cooled and not very tight. I live in the midwest with very cold winters and extreemly hot/humid summers. When it rained it would take on some water from under the doors and I would have standing water until I sopped it up. About twice a year I would put a coat of floor wax on my tablesaw, drill press, band saw, etc. and never, never had a problem with rust. Now, since a recent move, I have a metal detached two-car sized building. It has a concrete floor, 2x4 framing, and what looks to be galvanized, corregated steel siding and roof. No drywall, no insulation, just the steel between my tools and the outdoors. I used about 12 cans of spray foam insulation to cut down on the breez and did a lot of caulking, it's actually pretty tight now. However, my tools are rusting. For a couple of months I would go out every week or so and there would be a fine,even coat of rust on all my power tools (all my other tools are still packed for obvious reasons). Finally I waxed them all and covered them with cotton duck and that has kept them pretty clean but what do you folks think is happening here? Is there a chemical reaction with the galvanized steel? Is it condensation, like a glass of ice water sweating? Funny thing is, the building is good and dry. And it's been freakin' cold here for the past few months, very dry air. I'm stumped. We can't afford to tear it down and put up something nice for a few years yet so I'm going to put a few hundred bucks in it by covering the ceiling with plywood and framing up some interior walls with drywall. I'll make it all removable with screws so the materials can be re-used later. So what do you think?

-Mac

Reply to
Mac
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Rust on the tools indicates high humidity (a function also of temperature.) This is an objective or empirical indicator. Your conclusion that the building is "dry" seems to be a subjective impression (independent of temperature.)

I.e. these two items of evidence contradict each other. If you want to prevent rust inside the building, you should probably heat it (after first researching how humidity varies with temperature.)

Reply to
Don Phillipson

Your old garage was partly heated by the heat coming through the shared wall. That small amount of heat would have reduced the humidity in the garage. You don't have that in your new location.

I would suggest that a small amount of dry heat (electric or well vented combustion heat) would accomplish the same thing. Of course you can buy de-humidifiers designed for cold conditions, but I suspect they would be marginally effective in those temperatures.

In addition you may have moved to an area of higher natural humidity. Changes in tree cover, water table etc. can make a large difference in the humidity levels and therefore the rust.

Reply to
sligoNoSPAMjoe

Amen to the hitting the nail on the head.

In an unheated building tools have enough thermal mass to remain cold whe the building heats up. The heating building drives moisture out of the concrete on ONTO your tools.

Quick and dirty is a little heat. You might consider coating the floor to reduce moisture rising from it.

Reply to
John Gilmer

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'm stumped.

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In addition to what the other posters have said, you may have it too tightly sealed also, therefore allowing it to trap the moisture in the shop. Also, using an unvented heater will trap moisture in the shop.

Hank

Reply to
Hustlin' Hank

My wood shed 16 by 20 with 10 foot cieling and 12 foot peak had rust issues till i left door always open.

this largely solved the problem

Reply to
bob haller

Spray them with rust preventative oil like LPS-2, and also keep it slightly heated.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus19266

This would explain why metal stuff in our detached garage doesn't seem to rust; it's unheated and quite drafty, so the ventilation must be helping. The small shed behind it is a different story: bicycles rust in there, but not in the garage, and I think that's because there's less ventilation (smaller space, sandwiched between the garage and a hillock, plus a wood (vs. concrete) floor). Same climate: very cold winters, moderately humid summers (by Lake Ontario).

Reply to
KLS

Wipe down the metal and painted parts with a kerosene rag. Make sure there is no muriatic acid in your garage. Salty air or road salt is bad. Sometimes putting a small light bulb under a cast iron table will prevent rust by raising the temperature of the metal slightly. Make sure everything is properly grounded. Etc, etc, ...

Reply to
Phisherman

All of my gardening tools in my shed were rusting (mainly waferwood shed with a steel roof). I installed a wind turbine. It made a huge difference. Basically the shed was destroying itself. Now I have a Rubbermaid shed. I installed a wind turbine. I do not have a problem with rust.

I have stood below my wind turbines during severe rainstorms and did not detect even the slightest drizzle coming through to the inside.

Reply to
Ulysses

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I have to chuckle about the "too tightly sealed" suggestion. I did my best but still pretty drafty. Plus, no wind break here so a pretty steady 20 mph wind. I've tried the rust preventers, wd-40, and the old standby floor wax. The poster that mentioned my old attached garage was "slightly" heated may have been on to something. However, that house had a non-heated foyer between the house and the garage. Essentially an unheated breezeway. I also think it's interesting that that attached garage could have standing water (36-48") puddles in it for days with 100% humidity and I never saw any rust. We did move about ten miles from that house but pretty much same weather conditions, no nearby creeks, we're on top of a hill, etc. One difference is the amount of trees. Our old place was surrounded by trees, almost completely shaded year round. Our new house has only a couple of trees and virtually no shade (great for the telescope). My plan right now (we don't have the money for a new garage) is to cover the pitched ceiling with foil-backed insulation, seal the floor with that 2-part epoxy, frame up the interior with 2x4s and add drywall, and add a vent or two near the ceiling. I'll make it all reusable by screwing it all together so when we do have the money.... Thanks again,

-Mac

Reply to
Mac

Warm humid air coming in contact with cold metal will cause condensation and resulting rust. Many metal roofs drip a lot on the underside because of this. It's the same effect as morning dew.

Don Young

Reply to
Don Young

You might want to go easy on the WD-40. I've read it corrodes metals, particularly steel. I've switched to motor oil thinned with a little paint thinner or naphtha. Personally I've not yet noticed any corrosion due to the WD but I'd rather not take the chance.

Reply to
Ulysses

replying to Mac, phillip gillispie wrote: I put up a 300 56 ft.steel building and have the same problem.Turbines came with the kit but I did not use them.I suspect this is the problem.My tools even rust in the summer.Condensation has to be the culprit.The way I see it is you and I have only two options, either insulate the entire building or install adequate an adequate ventilation system.

Reply to
phillip gillispie

By now several years after the OP, everything is totally gone due to rust.............

Reply to
hrhofmann

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